big boy

Max had his 4 month check-up yesterday (he is actually 4 1/2 months) and is already up to 27 inches and 17lbs 10oz. To put that in perspective, he grew 2 inches and gained a little over 5 lbs in 2 months! Suffice it to say Max is proving to have a healthy appetite just like his big sister. Max has endless smiles, giggles and snuggles, making him a true joy to be around.

welcoming...

Dylan Brian Carlson! Whitney and Max's 12th cousin arrived on August 29, 2011. Welcome to the family Dylan :)

apples, goats, and tractors

This weekend we enjoyed a day full of fun fall activities with some friends. While apple picking was the main attraction, we had just as much fun feeding goats/sheep/ponies, riding in the tractor, and playing in the hay.

Whitney wasn't so sure about the goats and sheep at first...

"Daddy, are you sure about this?"

"Are you REALLY sure about this??"

"This isn't so bad!"

Whitney was a pro in no time.

The hand washing portion of the afternoon couldn't come soon enough as far as Mommy was concerned!

On to the hay...

This is the slide our fearless little girl went down all alone the first time! There isn't a picture because Mommy was in the background freaking out. Surprisingly Whitney wasn't scared and wanted to go again, but the second time Daddy joined in on the fun.

Always the good friend, Mona shares her apple cinnamon donut with Whitney.

The girls discussing this year's crop.

This picture cracks me up. Mona seems to be fascinated by Whitney's mostly bald head and always tries to sneak in a pat or rub!

happy 35th birthday james!

Today we celebrate the best husband & daddy we could ever ask for.

Love, Chrissy, Whitney & Max

family vacation in lake tahoe

Warning: This is a pretty long post, but we just got back from a pretty awesome trip that is worthy of thorough documentation. With the kids and both sets of grandparents in tow, we spent the week in beautiful Lake Tahoe. Our time was spent swimming, playing in the sand, visiting a beach, going on scenic drives, mountain biking, hiking, golfing, grilling, and mainly just enjoying each other's company.

While spending quality time with each other was the main objective/highlight, it didn't hurt that we stayed at a pretty spectacular house with the best views of the lake.

There was incredible landscaping throughout the property and we had our own private little beach and stream.

view from our hot tub

Mornings were a little chilly, but it was 80 and sunny most days.

Sometimes it's the most simple things (ie: laundry basket) that provide the most entertainment.

We celebrated Daddy's upcoming 35th birthday while we were out there.

Despite everything that was going on, Whitney always made time to stop and smell the flowers.

A special thanks to Daddy for putting together an amazing trip :)